Doll having a plurality of changeable ethnic features



Jan.- 7, 1969 J. M RODGERS 3,419,993

DOLL HAVING'A PLURALITY OF CHANGEABLE'ETHNIC FEATURES Filed May 11,1964 She'et 01'2 F/(il /az 93;

. 47 44 v INVENTOR.

, F/aa I 44 9 I Q ATTOPA/EYS Jan. 7, 1969 J. M. RODGERS DOLL HAVING A PLURALITY 0F CHANGEABLE ETHNIC FEATURES Filed Ma 11. 1964 I INVENTOR. Jaw: M P60f$ United States Patent 1 Claim The present invention relates in general to dolls and, in particular, to a doll which can be made to represent the various different human races or ethnic groups generally referred to as an ethnic doll.

Dolls of the prior art each represent a particular ethnic group. For example, separate dolls are utilized to represent the white or the colored races and, similarly, separate dolls are used to represent European, Oriental or Indian races. If it were desired to acquaint a child with the various different races or ethnic groups, this would therefore require a full set or complement of dolls. For many parents or eductional systems or schools this would be a relatively expensive procedure.

In view the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a single doll, hereinafter designated as an ethnic doll, which can be made representative of the various races or ethnic groups.

In accordance with the foregoing object, it is another object of the present invention to provide an ethnic doll which can be manufactured at a relatively low cost and sold at a relatively low price.

In accordance with the foregoing objects, it is a further object of the present invention to provide a highly novel doll construction which will have a high appeal to children of various different races or ethnic groups.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art from a consideration of the following specification, taken in connection with the appended drawings which illustrate the best modes presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 illustrates a basic doll or human form pursuant to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevation view of a front torso section pursuant to the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is an elevation view of a rear torso section pursuant to the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is a side view showing the front and rear torso sections in assembled relation;

FIGURE 5 is an elevation view of front and rear leg sections pursuant to the present invention;

FIGURE 6 is an elevation view of front and rear arm sections pursuant to the present invention;

FIGURE 7 is an exploded view of a head assembly pursuant to the present invention;

FIGURE 8 illustrates an attaching or securing element;

FIGURE 9 is a view in elevation showing the front and rear torso sections mounted in position on the basic doll form;

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 1010 of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a head assembly which represents the Negro ethnic group;

FIGURE 12 is a head assembly which represents the white ethnic group;

FIGURE 13 is an elevation view of another form of leg assembly in assembled relation;

FIGURE 14 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 14-14 of FIGURE 13;

FIGURE 15 is a front view of a foot representing the Negro ethnic group;

3,419,993 Patented Jan. 7, 1969 FIGURE 16 is a front view of a foot representing the white ethnic group; and

FIGURE 17 represents an ethnic doll pursuant to the present invention, provided with torso sections, leg sections and arm sections in position on the basic form from which there is omitted the head assembly.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is shown in FIGURE 1 the basic form or human representation element 10 pursuant to the present invention for forming the ethnic doll 12 shown in FIGURE 17. It will be understood that the showing of the ethnic doll 12 in FIG- URE 17 is incomplete since it is not provided with a head assembly as hereinafter described in detail. The doll form 10 is generally representative of a human form and may represent either a baby, a child or an adult. It will be noted that the various facial features or details are omitted from the form 10 and, similarly, the various body details and details of the extremities are omitted from the form 10. The form 10 merely represents the basic outline or contours of a human being. The form 10 is preferably formed as an integral member. However, it is within the scope of the present invention to provide the form 10 from various assembled parts which basically would represent the various portions of a human body. For example, as here shown, the form 10 is provided with a head portion 14, a body portion 16, a pair of arm portions 18 and a pair of leg portions 20. The basic doll form 10 may be formed of any material suitable for the purpose. For example, it may be formed of a spongy or resilient material or may be formed of a relatively rigid material. For example, in the case of the spongy material, a suitable sponge rubber or spongy plastic material may be utilized and in the case of a more rigid material, another type of suitable plastic material may be used. The body 10 may be formed by any suitable process as by a molding process or other process which may prove most suitable in the particular instance.

At the present time, it is contemplated that the ethnic doll may be made to represent four basic races of universal man, namely the European white or so-called Caucasian race; the Afro-American or Negroid race; the American Indian race and the Oriental race. However, it will be understood that the present invention is not limited to these four races and that other types of human representation may be exemplified in the ethnic doll of the present invention.

In accordance with the basic concept of the present invention, it will therefore be understood that the basic form 10 may be covered or mounted with different head assemblies 22, 24 and 26, as indicated in FIGURES 7, 11 and 12 respectively, to represent the various different races, various different torso assemblies, one of which is illustrated by the torso assembly 28 in FIGURE 4, various different arm assemblies, one of which is indicated by the arm assembly 30 in FIGURE 6, and various different leg assemblies, one of which is indicated by the leg assembly 32 in FIGURE 5.

Referring now to FIGURES 2, 3 and 4 in detail, there is shown one exemplification of a torso assembly for utilization with the basic form 10. As here shown, the torso assembly comprises a 'front torso member 34 and a rear torso member 36. Each of said members is in the form of a hollow shell which is preferably suitably formed from any material suitable for the purpose. For example, the front and rear torso elements may be formed, if desired, of a suitable plastic or rubber material which is colored or tinted to represent a particular ethnic group. (For example, the torso elements may be colored to represent the different shades of Skin of the white, black, red or yellow races. In addition to skin coloring, the torso element in each case would also represent or duplicate the particular torso elements of the particular race related to the skin color. For example, the rear torso element 36 is provided with the buttocks 38. For African types, these buttocks would be relatively heavy or fat. For most European types, these buttocks would be slanted and for dolls which would represent Oriental types, these buttocks would be relatively flat. Similarly, for other ethnic groups, the buttocks would be formed in accordance with the normal characteristics of such groups. The torso elements 34 and 36 are assembled together, as shown in FIGURE 4, to form a hollow torso assembly 28 which can be mounted in such assembled relation on the body portion 16 of the doll figure 1. More specifically, it will be noted that each of the torso elements 34 and 36 is provided along the peripheral edges thereof with a plurality of spaced apertures 40. It will be understood that the location and spacing of the apertures on the front torso element is complementary to the location and spacing of the apertures on the rear torso element 36 so that each aperture 40 on torso element 34 is associated with a corresponding aperture 40 on the rear torso element 36. Referring now to FIGURE 9, it will be noted that the front torso element 34 is mounted on the front of the basic doll form 10 and that the rear tor-so element 36 is mounted on the rear of the doll form. In order to retain the torso element in assembled relation on the doll form, provision is made for the securing means or elements 42, best illustrated in FIGURE 8. As shown in FIGURE 10, each securing element 42 comprises a strap 44 which is provided on one surface thereof with a pair of laterally spaced projections or knobs 46. One securing element 42 is utilized with each pair of companion apertures 40. As best shown in FIGURE 10, the strap 44 extends between the associated or aligned apertures 40 so that the projections 46 thereof can enter the companion or associated apertures 40. In this manner, the securing elements 42 are utilized between each pair of associated apertures 40 to secure the torso assembly 28 in position on the doll form, as illustrated in FIGURE 9.

Referring now to FIGURE 5 in detail, there is shown a leg assembly 32 pursuant to the present invention. The leg assembly 32 is provided with a front leg element 48 and with a rear leg element 50 each of which is in the form of a shell and preferably is formed of the same materials and in the same manner as in the case of the torso-forming elements. A leg assembly 32 is mounted on each of the legs 20 of the doll form 10, each leg 20 being disposed within the hollow interior of the leg assembly 32 in the same manner that the body portion 16 is disposed within the hollow interior of the torso assembly 28. It will be noted that the leg elements 48 and 50 are also provided with aligned companion apertures 40 as in the case of the torso elements. It will be understood that the securing elements 42 are utilized to secure the leg elements in the same manner as in the case of the torso assembly. This will be apparent from FIGURE 17 which shows a pair of leg assemblies 32 provided on the doll form 10, the leg assemblies being provided with the securing elements 42 to secure the front and rear portions thereof together.

As in the case of the torso elements, the leg assemblies can also be formed to be representative of the different ethnic groups which are to be represented in each instance by the doll form 10. For this purpose, the front leg elements 48 may be formed differently for the various different ethnic groups. For example, referring now to FIGURE 15 there is shown a front leg element 48A which is representative of the Negro ethnic group and in FIGURE 16 there is illustrated a front leg element 48B which is representative of the white ethnic group. Similarly, it will be apparent that if desired, other leg assemblies may be formed to be representative of other ethnic groups.

Referring now to FIGURE 6 in detail, there is shown an arm assembly 30 pursuant to the present invention.

The arm assembly 30, as in the case of the other body components, comprises a front arm section 52 and a rear arm section 54. It will be noted that each of the arm sec tions is in the form of a shell so that when both arm sections are in assembled relation, as shown in FIGURE 6, the result is a hollow arm assembly 30 in which there is adapted to be received an arm portion 18 of the doll form 10. It will be understood that the components of the arm assembly 30 may be formed in the same manner and of the same materials as in the case of the components of the torso assembly 28 and the leg assembly 32. Similarly, it will be noted from FIGURE 6 that the arm assembly is also provided with the aligned, paired apertures 40 which are adapted to be inter-engaged by the knobs 46 of the securing elements 42 to mount the hollow arm assemblies on the arms 18 of the doll form It). It will also be understood that the arm assemblies may be varied to represent the various different ethnic groups so that in each case the characteristics of a particular ethnic group will be related in the arm section, the leg section and the torso section.

Referring now to FIGURE 13 in detail, there is shown a leg assembly 56 which is provided also with a hollow front leg part 48 and a hollow rear leg part 50 to form a hollow leg assembly when in assembled relation. The leg assembly 56 differs from the leg assembly 32 in the provision of a fan extension 58 which is provided at the top of each leg portion and which can be inserted underneath the adjacent portion of the torso assembly 28 to provide a more finished appearance to the resulting ethnic doll 12. In addition, the leg assembly 56 is provided with another form of means for retaining the front and rear portions in assembled relation. As here shown, the front leg portion 48 is provided along its longitudinal edges with longitudinally spaced projections or protuberances or knobs 60 which are insertable into companion recesses 62 defined in the marginal vertical edges of the rear leg part 50, as shown in FIGURE 14. It will be understood that the assembling or securing means constituted by the knobs 60 and recesses 62 may also be utilized to maintain the torso parts in assembled relation and also to maintain the arm parts in assembled relation. Also, it will be understood that it is within the basic inventive concept of the present invention to utilize other suitable means for securing the companion parts of each assembly together. Also, it is within the concept of the present invention to form in each case the torso assembly, the leg assembly and the arm assembly as one integral unit which may be slipped directly over the associated body part of the doll form 10 and positioned and maintained in place on the associated body part, the assembly in each case being a hollow member for this purpose.

Referring now to FIGURE 7 in detail, there is shown the basic head assembly 22 pursuant to the present invention. As here shown, provision is made for a hollow head 64 constituted by the front part 66 which forms the face and the rear part 68 which forms the head and said assembly also includes a wig 70. As here shown, the head assembly 64 is formed of the shell-like front and rear parts 66 and 68 which may be formed of the same material as the previously-described various body parts and may be fabricated in the same manner. It will be understood that in each case the skin coloring for an associated set of body parts, namely the torso, the arms, the legs and the head assembly will be the same and that in each case each part will have features representative of the particular group, being provided on the doll form 10. For this purpose, it will be noted that the face part 66 is provided with a nose 72, lips 74, a chin 76, cheeks 78, eyes and a forehead 82 which will detail the characteristics of a particular group. The face part 66 is provided also with cars 84 representative of the same group. Similarly, the head part 68 will be shaped to represent the ethnic group associated with the previously mentioned features. The hollow head assembly 64 is mounted on the head portion 14 of the doll form and it will be noted that the head assembly is also provided, as here shown, with the companion, aligned apertures 40, it being understood that the securing elements 42 are utilized in the manner previously described to secure the two parts of the head assembly together in assembled relation on the head portion 14 of the doll form 10. Also, it will be understood that in lieu of apertures 40, and securing elements 42, the knobs 60 and recesses 62 shown in FIGURE 15 may be utilized or any other suitable securing or assembling means may be utilized. The head assembly 22 is completed by the previously mentioned wig 70. The wig 70, of course, would again represent the particular ethnic group being assembled on the doll form 10. As here shown, the wig 70 comprises a hollow or semi-circular base 86 which is provided with the hair 88. It will be understood that the base 86 of the wig 70 securely fits on the rear head portion 68 of the head assembly 64 and may be maintained in position thereon by frictional engagement therewith or by any suitable securing means.

Referring now to FIGURE 11 in detail, there is illustrated a head assembly 24 representative of the colored or Negro ethnic group. As here shown, the face part 66 is provided with a nose 72, a pair of lips 74, a chin 76, cheekbones 78 and eyes 80 and forehead 82, which differs from the similarly-numbered parts of FIGURE 7 and which are clearly representative of the associated or named features of the Negro race. Similarly, the hair 88 of the wig 70 provided on the head assembly 24 is representative of the hair and hair-style of the Negro race.

Referring now to FIGURE 12 in detail, there is shown a head assembly 26 which is representative of the white or European race. It will be noted that the front or face part 66 is provided with a nose 72, a pair of lips 74, a chin 76, cheeks 78, eyes 80 and a forehead 82 which is representative of the characteristics of the white race. Similarly, the hair 88 provided on the wig 70 has the coloring and the hair-style associated with the white race.

Referring now to FIGURE 17, there is shown an ethnic doll 12 pursuant to the present invention which has been provided with a torso assembly 28 and associated arm assemblies 30 and leg assemblies 32, all representative of a particular ethnic group. The only feature lacking on the ethnic doll 12 is a head assembly 22 and, when provided with a head assembly 22, related to the same ethnic group, there will be provided an ethnic doll pursuant to the present invention. It is contemplated that the ethnic doll pursuant to the present invention will also be provided with a series of different costumes each related to a particular ethnic group. Consequently, when the various body components of a particular ethnic group are provided on the form 10, it will be understood that the completed ethnic doll 12 may then also be provided with a related ethnic costume.

In view of the foregoing, it will be apparent that there has been illustrated and described herein a highly novel doll which is constituted by an ethnic doll having a basic doll form 10 and various body components adapted to bemounted thereon to represent a particular ethnic group. It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made within the present invention without, however, departing from the basic inventive concept thereof as set forth in the appended claim.

I claim:

1; A doll comprising, in combination, a basic form element including a torso portion and head, arm and leg portions joined thereto, a plurality of sets of detachable cover means for covering said portions, each said set comprising an individual cover for each said portion, the covers of each said set being both colored and shaped to simulate characteristics of the head and body typical of a particular racial group, the racial group represented by each of said sets being different than each of those represented by the others, said covers including means for mechanically detachably attaching each of said covers to said form element.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,485,638 3/1924 Smith 46-158 2,253,635 8/1941 Mann 46-172 1,106,211 8/ 1914 Handwerck 46-163 1,566,801 12/1925 Millard 46-164 X 2,327,059 8/19-43 Pal 46-162 X 2,424,5 3 8 7 1947 Beder 46-151 2,636,318 4/1953 Lock 46-158 2,824,351 2/ 1 8 Webb 24-203 2,959,891 11/1960 Barnett 46-22 X 3,160,158 12/1964 Rayhart 24-203 X F. BARRY SHAY, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

1. A DOLL COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A BASIC FORM ELEMENT INCLUDING A TORSO PORTION AND HEAD, ARM AND LEG PROTIONS JOINED THERETO, A PLURALITY OF SETS OF DETACHEABLE COVER MEANS FOR COVERING SAID PORTIONS, EACH SAID SET COMPRISING AN INDIVIDUAL COVER FOR EACH SAID PORTION, THE COVERS OF EACH SAID SET BEING BOTH COLORED AND SHAPED TO SIMULATE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HEAD AND BODY TYPICAL OF A PARTICULAR RACIAL GROUP, THE RACIAL GROUP REPRESENTED BY EACH OF SAID SETS BEING DIFFERENT THAN EACH OF THOSE REPRESENTED BY THE OTHERS, SAID COVERS INCLUDING MEANS FOR MECHANICALLY DETACHABLY ATTACHING EACH OF SAID COVERS TO SAID FORM ELEMENT. 